


The Fire of Romance

by cndrow



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 04:24:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6689050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cndrow/pseuds/cndrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glint Gardnersonson is everything Adasser is not: vibrant, loud, full of life and absolutely fascinating. Fortunately, Glint thinks that's all bunk.</p><p>(Very minor spoilers for Siege of Dragonspear expansion concerning in-game locations)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fire of Romance

The fire crackled, spitting sparks that reflected the yawning night sky above. Not a hundred paces away lay Bhaal’s- and then Cyric’s- ruined temple, cleared of evil and left to properly decay. The wardstone had been recovered, a clear path to the next step in their goals they would pursue after a much-deserved rest. Adasser’s various companions snored at the edge of the firelight, comfortable and safe.

None of these facts were as important as the small animated figure currently sitting between Adasser and the fire- conveniently stealing all the warmth, he noted in amusement. Glint had an endless supply of tales to tell, and the ranger was grateful for any time he could spend listening to them, even if he couldn’t tell where the actual story ended and embellishment began. There was a disturbing ring of truth to everything the gnome said, and reading between the lines.. Well, Glint was no stranger to a hard life. Yet another subtle denominator they shared.

Honestly, Adasser saw little commonalities between them when they’d first met, physically or otherwise. Glint bordered on hyperactivity, always in motion, speaking, laughing, guiding. Everything Adasser thought thieves _weren’t_ supposed to be. Adasser was “far too quiet” by Minsc’s standards, preferring to fade into the background. He reacted where Glint initiated. But instead of the gnome being intimidating like Jaheira’s stern words or even Dynaheir’s expectant stares, Adasser enjoyed being at the centre of the chaotic attention. He hadn’t had much time to puzzle out why, nor did he want to waste the time they had on such thoughts.

What mattered was this moment, watching the bright fire limn the wispy blue hair and gesturing arms as Glint gradually pieced together a story about a pair of unlucky boots and a bugbear. Adasser idly wondered if all gnome’s hands looked so strong, or if Glint’s were simply hardened by the life he’d led. His deftness rivaled Adasser’s, and yet the gnome looked much sturdier than he, even with his light armour and simple cloak. His bracers had been left by his bedroll, giving Adasser a nearly scandalous view of the delicate turn of his wrists.

“Why are you staring at my hands?”

Adasser straightened, refocusing on Glint’s gaze. “I’m sorry,” he blurted, then inwardly cringed.

“Is there something on them?” Glint held them out at arm’s length, flipping them over and back. “Or is there something missing? No; yes, all ten fingers and thumbs accounted for. Phew. Did you know, my right pinkie went missing for a month one time-,”

“I like them,” Adasser interrupted in a rush. It was fortunate he was facing the fire; his face was already hot from the flames, and so likely hid the flush creeping down his neck.

“Same here!” Glint replied cheerfully, flexing them slowly. “I was born with an exceptional set, that’s for sure. They’ve certainly made my life easier, but also a lot more complicated at times.”

Adasser swallowed a lump in his throat, leaning forward to take the small hands in one of his. They _did_ have a wiry strength beneath the soft pads of flesh, the thin fingers gliding smoothly against his own. He lightly rubbed at a palm with his thumb, delighted to see Glint was suddenly still as stone, the large eyes sparkling with interest. “I am also rather enamoured of who they’re attached to,” he added quietly.

“Well I figured _that_ ,” Glint laughed, digging his heels into the dirt and dragging Adasser close, neatly fitting between his long legs. “At least, I’d hope you’d like all of my parts, though perhaps some more than others, hm?”

Fire or not, there would be no missing Adasser’s heated face now, especially face-to-face like this. “You speak of such things so openly,” he murmured, raising Glint’s hands and turning them over to stare at the palms. “I am unused to someone being so- forthcoming.”

The gnome huffed. “That’s a shame. Haven’t you been told how your hair shines like the finest silk? The way you move is like unfiltered moonlight on water? The timbre of your voice can stop a beating heart? What of how you can inspire one to push far past exhaustion for the promise of a smile?”

Adasser bit his lip, trying and failing to not laugh. “That- You sound like one of those romance novels! With the swooning women on the covers.”

“Okay, so some of it was paraphrasing,” Glint admitted with a sly glance. “Actually, most of it- in truth, all of it but _not_ the comment on your smile. You absolutely glow when you smile, like you are now.”

Adasser chuckled, dropping his hands to link with Glint’s in his lap. “You give me the best reasons to. Glint, I- I’m no stranger to physical intimacy but this feels.. different. I mean,” he added hastily, “not that I don’t feel that as well. Th- The desire, ah, it’s not the same with you. Mostly not. It’s there, but- I haven’t, ah, cared deeply f- for another. Wait, no, I _have_ , but I’ve never.. spoken of it. Not these particular feelings. Uhm.”

Glint’s eyebrows had steadily raised through the stumbled confession, too-big smile widening even further. That was a good sign he hadn’t mess this up horribly, wasn’t it?

“That’s obvious,” Glint chuckled. “But you’re doing a great job for your first time! Although I’d suggest you finish your sentences? I’m all for a bit of mystery, no greater fan of it than I, but the more details the better in this situation, wouldn’t you say? I certainly would. I do, in fact.”

Adasser wrapped his hands around the surprisingly lithe waist and tugged Glint up into his lap properly, their noses nearly touching. “I’m falling in love with you, is what I’m saying.”

Slender arms snaked under Adasser’s curtain of hair, locking around the back of his neck. “Ho, when you go for it, you _really_ go for it! I knew that, too, but I certainly wanted to hear it as well. And so should you, so here it is!”

Adasser sucked in a breath, heart thudding in his throat as Glint rocked upward, their foreheads meeting, large round eyes half-lidded in a sultry smile.

“I think I’ve already gone past the ‘falling’ bit and gone straight through to loving you. It’s unfair, really, how fast you pulled me into this!”

An apology tried to sneak past his throat, but then Adasser caught the teasing sparkle in the gnome’s eyes. “ _Me?_ Pulled _you?_ ” he scoffed, squeezing the small waist. “Quite the opposite, my dear Glint. You’re the arrow in the dark I never could see coming.”

“Now who’s a silly romance novel?” Glint quipped, and they both laughed; which trailed slowly into a strange silence as they sat there in the flickering light, staring, hands shyly roaming but otherwise unmoving. Adasser drew in a sharp breath as their noses brushed, the heat of Glint’s breath washing over his parting lips. His skin tingled everywhere they touched, muscles taut with anticipation for that last inch to be breached-

And suddenly Glint was pulling away, standing to brush off his breeches, and Adasser, confused, lurched forward into empty space.

“ _That_ should keep you awake for the rest of the first watch,” Glint grinned cheekily, winking before turning to walk around the fire.

Adasser’s mouth gaped, stunned. Frustrated beyond belief. But his innate hesitation was also bolstered by the recent confession, and so he shot to his feet and leapt after the gnome, tackling the short legs so that they both rolled to the ground. Glint yelped happily as they tumbled down in a tangle of limbs, and Adasser covered his mouth quickly with a hand.

“Shh,” Adasser smirked, “if you cannot be quiet, I will find other ways to silence you.”

“Truly? Well, then! In that case,” Glint sighed dramatically, “I feel a spontaneous outburst of yelling coming on. Singing! Very loud singing of very droll subjects.”

“All the better, as I would take that kiss you tried stealing from me,” Adasser murmured.

“But if you steal a kiss, doesn’t that mean you’ve actually _mmpf_ -,”

Glint’s wide mouth felt glorious against his own lips, surprisingly pliable and- yes, definitely the more experienced of them. Adasser had expected a brief, if passionate, embrace; what he got was Glint clinging to his shoulders within seconds, deepening this kiss with his warm tongue as a knee crept between the elf’s thighs. A knot of heat coiled in his belly as Glint’s hands curled in his hair, tugging him yet closer as their bodies and mouths slid together. One of his own hands found the gnome’s jaw, stroking the bone beneath the half-beard and nudging the mouth beneath his wider still.

When Adasser finally raised his head, they were both breathing heavily, fingers paused where they were to dig into flesh.

“Now _that_ ,” Adasser panted, “will keep me awake far past first watch.”

“Yet another shame piled upon my pile of shame,” Glint giggled. “But that just leads to the excellent idea of you sharing my bedroll after your watch is over. We could try this again, with you confessing and me kissing you. Practise makes perfect! If you wanted to. I certainly do.”

“Yes,” Adasser whispered, bumping their noses together. Glint’s nose was truly perfect for such as gesture, just the right upturned angle to match his. “Tonight, and tomorrow night. And when this is over and I’ve reported my piece to the Council in Baldur’s Gate, I would follow you on whatever ventures you’ve planned, if you would have me.”

“Yes, yes, and doubly yes,” Glint sighed happily, leaning up to kiss Adasser’s chin. “Wherever our feet and hands take us. Together.”

**Author's Note:**

> 'Adasser' means 'lover of mortal men' and everytime I write his name I start cackling. Much laughter went into this "short" story. Ha! Get it? Because Glint's a gnome?? ;D


End file.
